Study

Long-term and large-scale control of the introduced red fox increases native mammal occupancy in Australian forests

  • Published source details Robley A., Gormley A.M., Forsyth D.M. & Triggs B. (2014) Long-term and large-scale control of the introduced red fox increases native mammal occupancy in Australian forests. Biological Conservation, 180, 262-269.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Remove/control non-native mammals

Action Link
Terrestrial Mammal Conservation
  1. Remove/control non-native mammals

    A replicated, controlled study in 2005­–2013 in six forest areas in Australia (Robley et al. 2014) found that after using poison bait to control invasive red foxes Vulpes vulpes, occupancy rates of common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula, long-nosed potoroo Potorous tridactylus and southern brown bandicoot Isoodon obesulus increased. The number of sites occupied by common brushtail possum (51), long-nosed potoroo (20) and southern brown bandicoot (25) was higher in areas where foxes were controlled than in other areas (common brushtail possum: 44; long-nosed potoroo: 7; southern brown bandicoot: 13). Six areas with no previous fox control where selected. From October 2005–November 2013, foxes were baited in three areas (4,703–9,750 ha) using FoxOff® (containing 3 mg of 1080 poison). Every 1 km, one bait was buried at a depth of 10 cm and replaced fortnightly. Three other areas (4,659–8,520 ha) were left unbaited. In each of the six areas, mammals were monitored annually at 40 sampling sites using hair tubes. Tubes were set for four days in spring 2005 and 2008–2013 and winter 2006 and 2007, and species were identified from hairs.

    (Summarised by: Ricardo Rocha)

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